Interview with Aditi Sahu- By Nainika Gautam

Aditi is a PhD student working on Cancer biology in the research wing (ACTREC) of the prestigious Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Apart from her curricular duties, she also likes to indulge herself in reading, writing, and dancing, which are her primary interests. Since childhood, she has won several awards in elocution, debate and recitation competitions. She is also a trained Kathak dancer. She sincerely believes in helping the underprivileged - animals or human beings. Therefore, recently, she had also co-founded a humanitarian society - The Benevolent Fools. Under this banner, she has undertaken several initiatives in and around Mumbai. From rescuing pets to teaching orphan children, from organizing musical programmes for terminally ill patients to collecting donations for needy organizations, their activity spectrum is wide and ever-expanding.

She has been writing a blog for about a year now. She has written poetry, movie review articles and general articles on varied issues. Her poems are typically a reflection of her emotion and sentiments; or are inspired by every day experiences in life. Also, her movie reviews have been published online by BeyondHeadlines.in. Her scientific writing experience is exemplified by the fact that she has published more than 10 scientific research articles in International peer-reviewed journals. Informally, she is often requested to perform editing and language corrections for several scientific manuscripts by many peers.

She can be contacted at:

Website: http://aditisahu.wordpress.com

Email: aditisahu@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aditi.sahu

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Flipkart/Amazon

Here we get to know her more closely:

Nainika: Please tell us something about yourself.

Aditi: I am a budding researcher, author and dancer. When I am not passionately immersed in my science and experiments, I like to visit my artistic and literary side once in a while. Belief in humanity and God are still very much alive. Small acts of kindness, good food and puppies brighten my day. I strongly believe in the fact that charity begins at home. A small effort in that direction is co-founding a humanitarian society- The Benevolent Fools. Through this society, a spectrum of activities ranging from entertaining terminally ill patients to tutoring children at nearby orphanages, tending to sick animals are undertaken by us.

Nainika: How did your interest for writing develop?

Aditi: Scribbling once in a while in my secret diary inculcated the habit of writing very early on in life. And once this started, there was no looking back!

Nainika: Being into so many things, what do you enjoy the most?

Aditi: This feels like picking a favorite from one’s own children! Nevertheless, I will give it a try.

Dance used to be my favorite mode of expression since childhood. Happy or sad, dance- classical or contemporary would be the perfect way to let out these feelings. Of late, I think writing has become the preferred approach for voicing my emotions. Also because writing has a far greater reach, the dissemination of my thought process, comments and ideas is more plausible this way.

Nainika: How do you think your write-ups can bring a change to the world?

Aditi: My writings usually revolve around issues that touch my heart. This was one of the biggest motivations to contribute to this anthology which I deemed to be highly socially relevant. My other writings include those on feminism, gender equality and acts of benevolence. Through my writings, I hope to awaken the youth, as I firmly believe that their thoughts and actions will drive the growth of the society.

Nainika: How important is reading to a writer?

Aditi: Reading builds vocabulary, infuses new thoughts, stretches the realms of knowledge and helps give new dimensions to stale writing. So I would say, Very!

Nainika: Tell us something about your story, “The lost and found self respect” in Crumpled Voices-2.

Aditi: My story ‘The lost and found self-respect’ deals with the sensitive issue of child sexual abuse. How, because of the slightest mistrust and fallacy that we place on people around us, can lead to heinous crimes against innocent children. In fact, such crimes are prevalent in our society at disturbing rates. This story revolves around a new generation couple and their young daughter. It is the story of how a mother’s childhood events come haunting back to her when she realizes her own child is highly susceptible to acts of physical abuse, and she shares a very important part of the blame for this. This story courses through her traumatic revelation and realizations. It ultimately highlights the fact that proper actions against offenders, although late, may have the potential to make this world a slightly better place.

Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story?

Aditi: The lead characters in my story are Avantika-the paranoid mother, Varun- the ever understanding husband and Mithila-their adorable daughter. Another less explicit character is the ‘Shame’ prevailing in the senses of a child abuse victim.

Nainika: Are the characters of your story inspired from real life?

Aditi: As a matter of fact, they are!

Nainika: How was experience with Gargi Publishers?

Aditi: I have worked with four different publishing houses for the first time this year, and to be honest, my experience with Gargi publishers has been the most satisfying! From editing to interactions to the quality of the book, all aspects make this experience a memorable one!

Nainika: What would be your message for our dear readers?

Aditi: My message for my readers would be repeating what my lead character in the story wanted to convey. It is, to be aware of the prevailing societal evils and never be a silent sufferer of an assault. Your voice may help prevent someone else from meeting the same fate. Place your trust in surrounding people only after careful deliberation. Believe in yourself and have the courage to bring the wrongdoers to justice. It is only then we can contribute to a safe and healthy tomorrow for our future generations.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)

Interview with Naisargi Bhatt- By Nainika Gautam

Naisargi Bhatt is a simple girl with simple dreams! She spends most of her time in pursuing answers to questions still unknown in this serendipitous journey of life. She has completed her schooling from Nadiad (Gujarat) and is currently studying Biotechnology. 

She believes that writing gives her the pleasure of creation as there exists a creator in everyone's life and writing is wonderful way to manifest that creator. No matter how good or bad your writing is, expressing yourself is the key to happiness. Writing makes her world a bigger place, helps her to organize her thoughts and sort out her emotions. Grammatically speaking, she is an ellipsis looking for an exclamation point to fill this empty void. 

She can be contacted at:

Email: naisi03@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naisargi.bhatt

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Amazon/Flipkart

Here we get to know her closely:

Nainika: Hi Naisargi, how would you like to introduce yourself?

Naisargi: I have asked many questions, but there is one question, which I would pursue the answer even in darkest pits of hell, the question is: Who Am I? 

Someone indefinable... Mystery unfolding before my own eyes and the moments of life! I am a story, thousands of inky foot prints and acquaintance of every person I met.

Nainika: So tell us about your journey as a writer till now?

Naisargi: My journey as a writer was like a caterpillar, it crawled slowly over the thorns from roses, and no one could ever imagine what it would turn into... But it did, it really did turn into something great. There inside the pupa filled with lot many what ifs, thoughts, rejections, elation which crackled like a tickling time bomb of opportunities. Finally the cocoon busted like a loud firework in the darkest sky and the butterfly shot itself out in the most unreal reality.

Nainika: What do you consider to be most challenging part of your writing?

Naisargi: The most challenging part- ha-ha! Its hell writing and its hell not writing the only tolerable state is having just written! I have seen it all... Idea Drought, Artificial Haze, Scattered Thoughts, Unstable Atmosphere, High Pressure Front, Drizzle of Inspiration, Creative Downpour, Unexplained Phenomena.... Writing is a challenge no doubt but then we need to trust the process!

Nainika: According to you how important is it to read for a writer?

Naisargi: Benjamin Franklin truly said "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing"! Yeah a writer has two things to do: read a lot and write a lot there's no shortcut. This is it!

Nainika: Which part of publishing is your least favorite?

Naisargi: Nothing is least favorite. Publishing though is a very very dreadful task.... But as in this was my first " getting published" experience...the waiting time for the book to come and finally see my name there was a little bit a kind of "magical uncertainty" you know that 'yeah the courier is here and that's your book'- that feeling is ecstatic..

Nainika: Tell us something about your story, “Eighteen” in Crumpled Voices-2.

Naisargi: About "EIGHTEEN" I would like to say, it isn't actually a story, it’s poetry about every girl, about every woman- a mother, daughter, wife, sister, friend... It's about how she stands up for herself and her beliefs. And how she embraces her title.

Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story?

Naisargi: As I said the women are the main characters of this poem. They speak their mind, think their own thoughts, and refuse to tolerate injustice.... She is quite capable of articulating her needs. She is a woman and only she has this ability to smile and handle the trouble and carry heavy worldly burdens.

Nainika: Are the characters of your story inspired from real life?

Naisargi: The character of my poem actually is inspired by a mother, teacher, grandmother, sister, and every relation a girl is wrapped into! It's a message to the girls, to the women who tolerate injustice, to be courageous enough to allow themselves to be their own identity rather than living on conditions.

Nainika: How was experience with Gargi Publishers?

Naisargi: My experience with Gargi Publishers was great and amazing adding up to it, it was satisfactory and very positive.

Nainika: What would be your message for our dear readers?

Naisargi: To my readers I would like to say nobody ever told me how hard it is to chase a dream. I stumbled sometimes, the road to destiny got steep and my body threatened to collapse! But if the world can come crashing down, a wave of words can save all... Keep following and achieving your dreams, stop not till the goal is reached.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)

Interview with Piyush Kaviraj- By Nainika Gautam

Author of "Mahlon Ko Bikte Dekha Hai", Piyush is a research scholar working on cancer biology at present. He has always been an avid reader and writer, and he got addicted to poetry during his school days. He loves to use the name 'Kaviraj' when he is in his land of rhymes and rhythm and uses his blog and other websites to convey his feelings and musings. He has a love for languages, especially Hindi.

Piyush aspires to be a socio-political activist to help society. He believes that we owe so many things to the society that we can't get rid of our responsibility of paying back/returning the favour. He, along with some like-minded friends, tries to contribute to society through social services, be it through guidance to cancer patients and their relatives, blood donations, or visiting orphanages/shelter-homes. 

He can be reached at

Email: piyush.kaviraj@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piyush.kaviraj

Twitter: @piyushKAVIRAJ

Blog: piyushkaviraj.com

To read his story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Amazon/Flipkart

Here we get to know him more closely:

Nainika: Hi Piyush, please tell us something about yourself.

Piyush: Hello Nainika and all the literature enthusiasts.

I am Piyush.

I am a cancer Research Fellow at Tata Memorial Centre. I have been writing poems in Hindi and English since my schools days and of late, I have also started to write short stories. I enjoy both research and literature and have published research articles as well as literary collections. I also try to help the underprivileged, cancer-patients and needy people, with the help of my friends around. We have set up an organization called ‘The Benevolent Fools’ for this purpose.

Nainika: Since you are a research scholar working in cancer biology, how do you think can your passion of writing help you there?

Piyush: My passion for research and writing complement each other and enable a mutual growth. Research not only involves experiments but also communicating our research and findings to the peer and people in the most effective way. Thus writing comes into rescue there. Science research helps us to identify problems, think logically and find the most feasible solution. This aspect has helped my writing which has become more methodical and logical with time.

Nainika: Being a social activist, how do you think can your write-ups help you to make the world best place to live in?

Piyush: I have been trying to contribute to the society in my own ways, but I need to do more to qualify as a real social activist. As I mentioned earlier, Science research helps us to identify and solve problems. But writing helps us in bringing our findings to the general public as well as the specialists. Thus I can do a better research on the problems present in our society and can collaborate with personnel who can help us solve them. Our writing skills can make people aware of the situation in the society and also brings to the light the people who have, in their own way, inspired others to make the world a better place.

Nainika: Which genre do you feel most comfortable to write?

Piyush: I feel most comfortable writing poems. It comes naturally to me. I try to write more on social aspects now.

Nainika: If you would not have been a poet, what would you have loved to be?

Piyush: I would have loved to be a musician, if I had not been a poet. Music gives me a strength which I can’t express in words.

Nainika: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Piyush: I am not sure if I have understood the question properly. I try to avoid flowery languages and complex sentence constructions so that my readers are able to understand and appreciate what I write, not how I write. And writing in a simple but lucid language is actually tough. I also find it a bit difficult to write stories and am trying to get over the problems.

Nainika: Please throw some light on your story “The Guinea Pig” in Crumpled Voices-2

Piyush: When I was told about the concept of the Anthology- Innocence lost (Crumpled Voices 2), I liked it very much. News on child mishandling and exploitations are a daily affair in the leading newspapers. Many a times, even educated parents lack the awareness on these issues. Hence stories can be a good medium to highlight such issues plaguing the society and inform people. When I heard this concept, I was reading about ‘holocaust’ and the atrocities on Jews. Thus I wrote this story to underline the ordeal children might have gone through during the Second World War. It was not a usual war where people were just killed. They were exploited even after their gruesome death. The situation of children remain same; the method of abuse changes. In a so called ‘peaceful’ society, war is replaced by other measures. We need to figure them out and act against them.

Nainika: How do you think your story can inspire society?

Piyush: ‘The Guinea Pig’ tries to tell us that children are most-affected by all the calamities. The situation worsens in case of a man-made one. Children are abused physically and emotionally. Even today, they are being used as domestic helps and child-laborers in spite of legislation against it. They need to be educated and nourished for a better future of the nations and those of us who are privileged enough have to assert our moral rights to take care of such unlucky children. We need more of the likes of Kailash Satyarthi.

Nainika: Please tell us something about the lead characters of your story.

Piyush: The lead character of the story has undergone a traumatic condition in her war affected country and suffered all sorts of weird experiments in captivity. She would have lost faith in humanity and could have died unknown. But she got the guidance of a nice lady. Thus she grew up to be a responsible person who fought for the rights of children and rehabilitated them to better conditions. Having gone through a tormented childhood, she understood what children may go through; children are meant to be loved and nurtured, not to be experimented upon. They can’t be treated as guinea pigs, lest they are scarred for the rest of their lives.

Nainika: Would you like to give any message to our readers?

Piyush: As I said, we need more of the likes of Kailash Satyarthi. But isn’t it shameful that most of us didn’t know about a person who had been working for child welfare? I am ashamed that I had not heard about him till the day Nobel Peace prize was announced last year. We try to give our own sons/daughters all the comfort while don’t even notice the rag pickers on garbage heaps, beggars on traffic signals, and waiters working for chai-wallas. Let’s be more generous. Let’s help at least one unprivileged child, other than our own and we will actually rebuild and refurbish our own future.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)

Interview with Swathi Shenoy-By Nainika Gautam

Swathi is a 21-year-old student, who is currently pursuing her degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering, Shimoga. She is a self proclaimed bibliophile and forgets the world around her when she dives into the world of novels! Writer, dreamer, singer, artist, travel enthusiast and nature lover – that pretty much sums up her. 

To find out more about her, visit her blog Flightless Bird thoughtful Wings, where she likes to spend most of her free time. She has been published in three anthologies so far – Mighty Thoughts, Blank Space and GOOFY. She loves writing short stories, poems, book reviews and sometimes inspirational posts. 

She can be contacted at:

Email: swathi.p.smg@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swathi.shenoy.31

Blog: http://swathishenoy.blogspot.in

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Amazon/Flipkart

Here we get to know her more closely:

Nainika: Hi Swathi, so how would you define “Swathi Shenoy”

Swathi: Hi Nainika. This is a question I always have a hard time answering. I would define Swathi Shenoy as someone who has a passion for lot of things. A writer, an avid reader, travel enthusiast & nature lover, an artist who loves sketching, painting, quilling and anything that catches her eye and also a singer (not necessarily in the same order though). But most importantly, she is an introvert who loves solitude.

Nainika: Engineering or writing, what do you enjoy more?

Swathi: Definitely writing! No doubt in this one. But I have to admit, it was during Engineering that I discovered the spark for writing.

Nainika: How did you develop your interest towards writing?

Swathi: Being an introvert, I prefer maintaining a diary rather than sharing my thoughts with someone. So I guess that is where the love for writing stemmed from. But it was only during my engineering I realized this love for writing was far beyond diary entries. I had penned down a story for creative writing competition and it was appreciated by many. The encouragement I received pushed me forward to explore my potential in writing.

Nainika: How important is reading to a writer?

Swathi: I believe that reading is an integral part of the journey as a writer. The more you read, the more polished you become. Some articles/stories trigger the thought process and will set you thinking while many others influence your writing style. When you read, there is always scope to learn new things and also improvise your way of writing.

Nainika: When so many anthologies are hitting the market every now and then, how different is Crumpled Voices-2 as compared to them?

Swathi: I have been published in 3 anthologies before Crumpled Voices 2 but this one is definitely different. It is about one of the most sensitive yet important issues that need to be addressed in our society. I believe it will make people more perceptive towards the silent struggles going on around them and will encourage them to lend a helping hand.

Nainika: Tell us something about your story, “The Lost Dreams” in Crumpled Voices-2.

Swathi: Gender based discriminations are still predominant in many parts of our country. Though lot of debate is going on about gender based equality and rules are made for the same, there are still people who consider a girl child as a bad omen and try to suppress them. ‘The Lost Dreams’ is one such story where the dreams of a child are being suppressed just because she is a girl.

Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story?

Swathi: The leading character of my story is Riya, a young girl who is subjected to gender discrimination by her own grandparents. She struggles to gain their approval but fails to win their heart. The story describes her inner turmoil as she tries to figure out what was that she was doing wrong that she couldn’t win their love and affection.

Nainika: Are the characters of your story inspired from real life?

Swathi: Every fiction has a little bit of truth in it. Yes, the story is indeed inspired from a real life incident; from my friend's childhood. It wasn’t exactly like Riya’s story, but it definitely was what inspired me to write this one.

Nainika: How was experience with Gargi Publishers?

Swathi: 3 words - I loved it. Right from writing for this anthology to the awesome banners made, the books being delivered to contributing authors well before release date, the getting-to-know-other-authors part through the facebook group and getting my first interview done, it has been a wonderful experience with Gargi Publishers. I hope I get to work with Pulkit Sir and team again.

Nainika: What would be your message for our dear reader

Swathi: About child abuse - It’s not just physical abuse that causes damage, but also the emotional one; more so because it isn’t visible yet it keeps consuming the soul. If you ever get even a slight hint about a child being abused or feel like they need help of any sort, don’t hesitate to help. You might be saving a life.

And about the book, if you liked my story ‘The Lost Dreams’ do drop a message. It will make my day. Thanks!

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)

Interview with Tanya Shrivastava- By Nainika Gautam

“Being sane is boring” - Tanya Shrivastava who’s indeed a fanatic about three things in life - marketing, writing and food, believes that she is born to be a little crazy and more of a misfit.

She has just completed her MBA from IMT Nagpur and is ‘suiting-up’ to enter the corporate this summer. She is an avid reader, a passionate writer and an amateur shutter bug. She is a nationally published author with ‘Dear Diary…’ being her debut novel which was followed by ‘Crumpled Voices’ where she was a contributing author with her story ‘The Last Whisper’ which was based on a societal evil of ‘Marital Rapes.’

‘I am not strong enough to change this world with a sword but I am capable to do it with my pen’ says Tanya who is an active philanthropist who dreams of a ‘better world someday.’ Her other hobbies includes activities like petting animals, travelling and public speaking.

She can be contacted at:

Email: tanya.shrivastava28@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanya.shrivastava.28

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Flipkart/Amazon

Here we get to know her more closely

Nainika: Hi Tanya, how would you define yourself?

Tanya: Maverick by nature, marketer by profession, human by religion and an author by heart-that’s how I feel I have been caricatured, though the world may have different opinions; I respect them all. J

Nainika: How is you pen capable to bring about change in the world?

Tanya: In the land of story-telling, there cannot be any better medium but words that could seep down to the souls and guide them towards a better society. The words that my pen spuns, help me fight oblivion, and by oblivion I refer to all those virtues that have been lost somewhere beneath ‘materialism’ and ‘disguised realities’; a stroke of pen, I feel, can bring them back. 

My pen helps me reach thousands of souls beyond the spatial and temporal barriers, and I ardently hope that my stories join hands with them to paint a better picture of our society. 

Nainika: What changes do you observe in your life after being an author?

Tanya: Well, there are umpteen changes, all for good, that I feel I’ve undergone after being an author, but, out of all of them, the one that makes me feel good about my existence is that now I can empathize better with flora, fauna and humans as well as their pains. I feel, now, I understand the importance of every minute element of this universe as each of them has a story to tell. I know life is not at all fair to any of us but with writing, I think, I can spread optimism about all the odds of life. 

Writing completes me; I can confide in my words; I know it would never leave me.

Nainika: If you would not have been an author, what would you have preferred to be to achieve your goal to make this world a better place?

Tanya: Honestly, I could never imagine of ‘not writing’ as that’s my life, I could not live without my words. So, I’ve never thought of any substitutes.

Nainika: Which genre do you enjoy writing and reading most?

Tanya: I am a voracious reader and thus I read almost everything but, compositions on social issues, thrillers and mysteries, supernatural and paranormal and autobiographies adorns my bookshelves. 

Though I’ve never tried my hands on writing supernatural and paranormal stories, people say that I’m good at narrating them. Out of the tried genres, I prefer writing on social issues and relationships.

Nainika: Give single word for your journey as an author from beginning to now?

Tanya: Splendid !

Nainika: According to you, how different is CRUMPLED VOICES-2 from other anthologies?

Tanya: Being a part of both the series of CV, I feel that anthologies come and go but this one makes a strong impact on the minds and hearts of the readers. All the contributors have made sure that they initiate a change in the society by the stroke of their pens. The stories insist you to introspect, and I believe that this is what the society needs; there is a need to challenge stigmas, to break free the shackles of baseless social practices that are barriers to betterment and progress.

Nainika: Throw some light on your story “That shade of Vermilion” in Crumpled Voices-2

Tanya: My story, “That shade of Vermilion”, portrays out the fact that on one hand we blabber about ‘India Shining’ and on the other hand we indulge into practices like Child Marriages on the name of tradition; Child Abuse by adults for their carnal pleasure; Domestic Violence to prove yourself as the supreme authority; Selling off girl children, sometimes for money and sometimes for getting rid of her. My question to all of my readers is simple and clear, why are these concepts still a part of our ‘progressive society’? Why do we do nothing but crib about incidents that takes place around us? 

My story is about all those innocent saplings whose childhood has been crumpled beneath the strong paws of evils disguised as you and me.

Nainika: While almost everyone now a days is talking about Woman Empowerment and is writing about their plight, how is your story different from others?

Tanya: We could only empower women if we go down the roots and empower our own conscience. My story does not talks about the plight of the feminine gender of our society, rather it throws light on the crippled mentality of some people who have found out ‘right ways’ to do the ‘wrong things’; those ‘right ways’ are nothing but social practices like ‘child marriage’, ‘dowry’, ‘patriarchal dominance’ et al. 

Nainika: Please tell us something about the lead characters.

Tanya: The story revolves around two young saplings, Ashwin and Aastha who were yet to see the world when they were plucked from their roots and trodden under the weight of societal practices. It also talks about Ashwin’s Amma who gave her life to make sure that her son is shielded from the evil. She does fair in her pursuit but could not save her daughter-in-law to fall into the prey. 

The trio is still searching for justice; I hope someday they would be happy to see that this world slowly transforms into a better place to live in.

Nainika: How close is your story to reality?

Tanya: My readers would answer this question for me. 

I believe that writing on social issues is writing reality itself, unfortunately. Unfortunate because you’ve to cover all those plight and suffering that the mankind goes through; reality is cruel most of the times.

I believe ‘child abuse’ is not considered grave and gory yet, I wonder why. I feel this societal evil should be dealt seriously, after all we’re talking about the torch bearers of our societies.

Nainika: Would you like to give any message to our readers?

Tanya: Live for love, live for passion, live for others and live for yourself. We have too many things to do, in our hectic life, embroiled in ourselves and caught up in the times. We often miss ourselves, in the hullabaloo, the crowning glory makes us forget and miss ourselves in the enormity of the moment, in the desire to excel, forget the touch of humanity, that which makes us humans. Slow down, ease into a rhythm and never back down. Learn to love, and free yourself, pour yourself into the brew, slowly, stirring and mixing in the cup of life. The devil lies in the details, magnify them and glorify them. You get just one shot at life, make it count.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under internship program by Gargi Publishers)

Interview with Supriya Raju Paruleekar- By Nainika Gautam

Supriya is pretty used to daydreaming, and enjoys it like it’s a sport. She’s weird at times, but it’s funny to watch her in that mood. She loves unicorns, rainbows, and glitter. She acts all grown up, but is a real child at heart. 

Supriya Parulekar is a published fiction author with five books. Her fifth book “One Tequila, 2 Tequilas…” with Gargi Publishers was released on 14th May 2015. It is garnering positive reviews and is rated 4.5/5. She likes experimenting with different genres and you will find something dark and mysterious in her writings. Maybe it stems from the near-death experience she had as a child. 

Her next novel, “Diabolical” again with Gargi Publishers is slated to be released this august along with Crumpled Voices 2.

Supriya has worked as a script editor for TV18, History Channel. She wrote a column in ‘YUVA’, a magazine, for the youth. She enjoys reading biographies, places of historical significance interests her and she travels to different destinations, to rediscover herself, and look for an adventure of her own.

Her dream project soon to be made open for school students is “Cookastory”. An online web portal, wherein children can upload their stories, poems and essays. A platform for young writers to showcase their talent. Already three international schools have registered for it. Individual registrations are welcome too.

She loves writing poems, but isn’t chasing that dream seriously. 

She can be contacted at: 

Email: parulekar.supriya@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supriya.r.parulekar

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Flipkart/Amazon

Here we get to know her more closer:

Nainika: Hi Supriya, so since we have already had an introduction, tell me what is the difference you feel introducing yourself that time and this time?

Supriya: 'One Tequila,2 Tequilas... was an exhilarating journey. I am glad I penned down that love story. The story has its own moments and dreams. 

'Diabolical' has been an emotional ride for me right from the beginning. I am a bit apprehensive as to how it will be accepted as the subject is not ordinary one. It revolves around depression and struggle of a young girl with lot of hurt within her.

Nainika: Tell us how do feel after getting such a huge response for your book, “One Tequila, Two tequilas”. How do you feel to come up with another book in such a short span of time?

Supriya: I think One Tequila, 2 Tequilas...' has established me as a writer. It has been shown lots of love and appreciation and at the same time a little bit of criticism. Let me tell you here, every love story belongs to someone. People immediately identify themselves with the characters. They simply loved the tipsy Kosha, straight-faced handsome Siddharth and the cheerful banter between two friends. Nothing can go wrong in a love story if it brings a smile to your face. 

I was ready with 'Diabolical' for a long time now. It's dark, daring and breaks the stereotype plots. It was a genre I had never wandered in before so it sure does make me nervous.

Nainika: Being into so many things, what do you enjoy the most?

Supriya: I enjoy writing the most. Escaping in to my world of imagination, conversing with the characters in my head, looking for inspiration. Travelling and photography I enjoy. I love to gather bits and pieces of information about the country I am visiting. Photography for me is capturing lovely moments and turning them in to memories. 

Nainika: When so many anthologies are hitting the market every now and then, how different is Crumpled Voices-2 as compared to them? Please throw some light on the story, “The White Lily” in the book “Crumpled Voices-2”.

Supriya: Child abuse is the prevalent topic in our society. We need to make our young generation aware about this reality. The book can be a stepping stone to introducing children to the unseen danger that lurks around them. Making them cautious and aware is what sets apart Crumpled Voices-2 from other anthologies. 

'The White Lily' speaks about the innocent child who puts her belief in her uncle. He weaves a story about a monster who will visit her every night and she should keep him happy or else she will meet the fate of little Kali who disappeared one night. What the little girl does not understand is her uncle is the real monster and he is the one who abuses her every night. The soul of Kali frees her from the horror. 

Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story and who is your favorite one?

Supriya: Every character plays a lead in 'Diabolical'. The book is divided in two parts. First half belongs to Sonya, Jay and Tania. It shows Sonya's journey as a superstar and her fight with the inner demons that chase her. It speaks about the abuse she faced as a child, the pain of her mother abandoning her at young age and the love and support she finds in her step-sister Tania. I went through lot of emotional turmoil when I sketched Sonya and it was disturbing to relate to the pain she felt. The second part is the love story of Arjun and Nandini. Arjun too has a turbulent past. He comes to term with it with Nandini's help and a psychic Maya who plays an important role in the whole story. Does Sonya end her life? Is Tania successful in protecting her sister's wishes? The chills, the thrills and little suspense makes for interesting ingredients for 'Diabolical'. 

Nainika: How do you think that this book can bring about a change in society?

Supriya: Depression is a dark, hidden monster chained in every human mind. Sadly, in India we do not sympathise or acknowledge depression as a clinical disease. Many a times it goes unrecognised or shoved down deep back into the recesses of our mind thus giving birth to many Sonya's. 

Nainika: What do you expect from this book?

Supriya: I would like to urge people to read Diabolical' as it will help one understand the pain that a depressed person goes through. How every moment, every second is a struggle. Life can be pretty hard for them. I lost a friend to this deadly disease called depression. Hope my writing can make a difference in someone's life. It will be a befitting tribute to her. Just reach out. It could be anyone, someone close to you

Nainika: What would be your message for our dear readers?

Supriya: There is lot of good work coming up by new authors. Please encourage them. Acknowledge their efforts. It's not easy to put down ones thoughts and feelings in to a full fledged novel. Read, encourage and inspire for a better tomorrow.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)